This invention is in the field of vials and syringes for use in injecting medicinal fluids. It is the normal practice to provide a single dose vial having a protective seal thereon which may be pierced by a hypodermic needle attached to a syringe for transferring the dose from the vial into the syringe. Alternatively, the needle may be affixed directly to the vial which may then be squeezed to inject the fluid into the patient from the vial.
Increased attention to possible contamination of the needle has required in many cases the replacement of the syringe needle once the dose is withdrawn from the vial and prior to injection of the fluid from the syringe. That is, the needle is removed from the syringe and a new needle installed thereby increasing the cost and time for each injection. I have therefore designed a vial having an outlet structured to attach directly to the syringe allowing the fluid to be withdrawn into the syringe without a needle extending between the vial and syringe. Once the fluid is withdrawn into the syringe, the vial may be removed and discarded and a needle affixed to the syringe outlet. The vial outlet takes advantage of the prior art luer-loc-tip of a needle. The need for a needle to withdraw medication is therefore eliminated. The lack of a needle also eliminates steps in the procedure that may lead to potential contamination. The luer-loc structure may be integral with the vial or may be provided by a flanged structure attachable to existing vials.
A number of U.S. Patents have been granted on the general subject matter; however, I am unaware of any patent or prior art directly showing or suggesting my combination. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,384 issued to Berthiot; U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,601 issued to Lary; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,222 issued to McAleer disclose single dose vials whose contents are injected directly into the patient. U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,369 issued to Hall discloses a thermo-plastic disposable vial, whereas U S. Pat. No. 4,465,472 issued to Urbaniak shows a syringe cartridge having a luer-loc-tipped cap U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,066 issued to Hilleman et al. shows a vial having a needle for puncturing the vial which is then used for direct injection. A similar approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,815 issued to Takatsuki.